Minimum income guarantee could cost Rs 7 lakh croreA minimum guaranteed income to one member each of the country’s 25% poorest households could cost over Rs 7 lakh cr. The calculation was based on a minimum wage payment of Rs 321 a day, translating into Rs 9,630 a month. The cost was expected to be over Rs 5 lakh crore if 18-20% of the households were targeted, as was indicated by P Chidambaram.

Companies told to disclose dues to MSMEsSources told TOI that the ministry of corporate affairs is expected to notify the rules over the next few days, specifying that disclosures have to made to the registrar of companies within 30 days

Centre mulls pre-poll sops to woo traders and exportersSources told TOI that the government is considering insurance cover, cashbacks for digital payments and subsidies and finance for buying computers and digitisation of businesses as it seeks to woo a key segment of its vote bank ahead of this summer's elections.

New GST return may not be mandatory till pollsGovernment officials also reckon that with elections just a few months away, political parties are being used by traders to seek relaxations, which will be detrimental to the overall system.

Politicians must learn to use data: Rajiv KumarRajiv Kumar, vice-chairman of NITI Aayog, has rejected charges of data manipulation and said the revised GDP numbers were released after close scrutiny by country’s 10 leading statisticians.

Politicians must learn to use data: Rajiv KumarRajiv Kumar, vice-chairman of NITI Aayog, has rejected charges of data manipulation and said the revised GDP numbers were released after close scrutiny by country’s 10 leading statisticians.